Metabolomics: a promising diagnostic and therapeutic implement for breast cancer

• Main Authors: Chen Z, Li Z, Li H, Jiang Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2019-08-01
• Series: OncoTargets and Therapy
• Subjects: Diagnosis; Biomarkers; Treatment; Metabolites
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/metabolomics-a-promising-diagnostic-and-therapeutic-implement-for-brea-peer-reviewed-article-OTT

Zhanghan Chen,1 Zehuan Li,1 Haoran Li,2 Ying Jiang11Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ying JiangDepartment of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [e-mail]: Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer death. Despite the advent of numerous diagnosis and treatment methods in recent years, this heterogeneous disease still presents great challenges in early diagnosis, curative treatments and prognosis monitoring. Thus, finding promising early diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets and approaches is meaningful. Metabolomics, which focuses on the analysis of metabolites that change during metabolism, can reveal even a subtle abnormal change in an individual. In recent decades, the exploration of cancer-related metabolomics has increased. Metabolites can be promising biomarkers for the screening, response evaluation and prognosis of BC. In this review, we summarized the workflow of metabolomics, described metabolite signatures based on molecular subtype as well as reclassification and then discussed the application of metabolomics in the early diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis of BC to offer new insights for clinicians in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.Keywords: diagnosis, biomarkers, treatment, metabolites